1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the food-making arts. In particular, it relates to an improved cocoa powder for use in multi-layered, gel-based dessert products, such as puddings, a method for making the improved cocoa powder, and the gel-based dessert products containing the cocoa powder.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Consumers regularly eat pudding and other gel-based dessert products, some of which are non-dairy based. One of the most popular flavors for such products is chocolate and, consequently, one of the most important ingredients is cocoa powder. Cocoa powder contains a relatively high percentage, ca. 5%, flavonoids. It is believed that during the preparation of cocoa powder from cocoa beans some of the flavonoids undergo polymerization reactions resulting in the formation of tannins. The flavonoids and tannins are the pigment species that give cocoa powder its unique, rich, brown color.
Consumers"" desire for convenient foods led to the development of chocolate puddings and other gel-based dessert products that require little or no advance preparation by the consumer before eating. Beginning approximately 30 years ago, consumers were offered these types of products in ready-to-eat, single-serve, portable containers. Initially these products were sold as shelf-stable, canned products. These canned products, such as pudding, were subjected to retort processing and did not as closely approximate the later developed aseptically packaged puddings.
As consumers begin to have more choices with regard to wholesome, nutritious snacks, manufacturers have developed new markets and are innovative to remain competitive in this area. A new market for pudding and other dessert gels is the entry into the refrigerated section of the supermarket. One of the innovations has been the packaging changeover from metal cans to opaque plastic cups and then to clear plastic cups, allowing the consumer to see that which is being purchased. Industry""s move to clear plastic cups has engendered other innovations, such as the layering of different flavor puddings or other gelled desserts into the same cup or container. These improvements also are being used with shelf-stable puddings and gel-based desserts that are stored at room temperature for long periods of time.
The color of a pudding and other gel-based dessert product is one of the first attributes recognized by the senses of the purchaser and intended consumer of the product. Typically, when a manufacturer makes pudding, or other dessert product which has more than one flavor layer, the manufacturer colors the layers differently to make the product more attractive and commercially appealing. For example, manufacturers have tried to produce pudding products having a chocolate-flavored base that is dark brown in color next to a topping having a different flavor and a contrasting color, such as tan, caramel, yellow or white.
Color migration can be defined as the mobility of a pigment or other colorant in a pudding formulation into an adjacent layer of pudding, that it was not intended to be in, that results in the lightening or darkening or otherwise distorting the adjacent layer(s) during the shelf-life of the pudding product. In a single flavor/color pudding cup, the migration of color is not a problem. However, in a multi-layered pudding cup, the migration of the color changes the appearance of the product from what it was intended to be, which results in the product not appearing as it was originally designed to appear to the consumers, and thus having a decreased consumer acceptance. For example, when the bottom layer is a dark brown, cocoa-flavored layer and the top layer is a lighter caramel color, the dark-brown cocoa powder pigment can migrate from the bottom layer up into the upper lighter caramel layer causing the caramel layer to darken.
Thus, there has existed a definite need for a modified cocoa powder that does not migrate between differently colored layers of a multi-layered, gel-based dessert product. There has existed a further need for a simple and inexpensive method for preparing such modified cocoa powders and multi-layered dessert products containing such powders. This present invention satisfies these and other needs.
Now in accordance with the invention, there has been found an improved, modified cocoa powder and a method for modifying cocoa powder that initially contains water-soluble solids. The modified cocoa powder is prepared by a method that includes the steps of extracting one part by weight unmodified cocoa powder starting material with at least one part by weight water, typically from about 5 to about 30 parts by weight water, at a temperature and for a time sufficient to extract a substantial portion of the water-soluble solids. In some embodiments, the water has a pH in the range of from about 2 to about 8 and in some embodiments the pH is in the range of from about 2 to about 5. Generally, the extraction level is from about 5 to about 60% and, in some embodiments, from about 10 to about 30%.
The resulting water-soluble solids-containing supernatant is then separated from the water-extracted cocoa powder. Suitable methods for separation include centrifugal separation, membrane separation and a combination thereof. A preferred method of separation is centrifugal separation, with a centrifugal force of from about 20,000 to about 30,000 Z being most preferred. In some embodiments, the extraction and separation steps are then repeated and, in some embodiments, the water-extracted cocoa powder is dried to a moisture content of about 5 wt. % or less, after the final separation of the supernatant.
The resulting, water-extracted cocoa powder is particularly useful in preparing multi-layered, gel-based dessert products, such as puddings, yogurts, and non-milk gel-based desert products, having a first gel-based layer and an adjacent second gel-based layer, at least one of the layers containing, from about 1 wt. % to about 10 wt. % and in some embodiments from about 2 wt, % to about 5 wt. %, of the water-extracted cocoa powder. The water-extracted cocoa powder-containing layer typically has a total solids content of from about 5 wt. % to about 70 wt. %, more preferably from about 20 wt. % to about 50 wt. % and up to about 15 wt. % protein, more preferably from about 1 wt. % to about 5 wt. % protein.
The water-extracted cocoa powder-containing layer and, preferably, all the layers, typically also contain from about 30 to about 70 wt. % skim milk, non-fat milk or mixtures thereof; from about 5 to about 20 wt. % water; a sweetener, such as sucrose, dextrose, fructose, corn syrup, corn syrup solids, high fructose corn syrups, saccharin, aspartame, Sucralose(trademark). Acesulfame K(trademark), or mixtures thereof; a starch, such as modified or unmodified corn starch, potato starch, tapioca starch, rye flour, wheat flour; a hydrocolloid gum; and a fat. In some embodiments the water-extracted cocoa powder-containing layer and, preferably, all the layers contain up to about 30 wt. % sucrose, preferably from about 10 to about 20 wt. % sucrose; up to about 20 wt. % starch, preferably from about 2 to about 10 wt. % starch; up to about 4 wt. % hydrocolloid gum, preferably from about 0.05 to about 2 wt. % hydrocolloid gum; and up to about 20 wt. % fat, preferably from about 0.5 to about 10 wt. % fat.
The cocoa powder in accordance with the invention is made by modifying any commercially available cocoa powder. Suitable cocoa powder starting materials include alkalized or non-alkalized cocoa powders, such as the cocoa powders available from DeZaan, Inc., Stamford, Conn., E DandF Man Cocoa Products, Glassboro, N.J., and W.L.M. Bensdorp Co., Westborough, Mass. Preferably the starting material has a total solids content in excess of about 93%.
The cocoa color produced by cocoa powder is a function of a variety of pigments having a wide range of solubility in water. The insoluble pigments cannot effectively migrate throughout the pudding, while the soluble pigments are readily diffused. Accordingly, in a first step of the inventive method, water is added to the cocoa powder to extract a substantial portion of the water-soluble pigments. By water is meant tap water, distilled water, deionized water or any aqueous solution that will not adversely affect the extracted cocoa powder. For example, food acceptable acids or bases can be added to the water, to modify the pH as desired.
The amount of water and the temperature of the water used for extraction vary over a wide range of suitable conditions and can be selected by one-skilled in the art without undue experimentation. The conditions are chosen so that a substantial portion of the water-soluble pigments are extracted. Typically, the initial temperature of the water and the temperature at which the extraction then occurs is in the range of from about 0xc2x0 C. to about 100xc2x0 C. In some embodiments, the pH of the water is adjusted to from about 2 to about 8, preferably from about 5 to about 8.
Preferably, at least one part water, more preferably from about five to about thirty parts water, by weight, is added to about one part by weight cocoa powder. The mixture is then agitated for from about five minutes to about 20 minutes until a substantial portion of the water-soluble pigments are extracted.